March 28, 2008
NCAA East Regional
Postcard: His Story's Got Legs

By Ken McMillan

ALBANY, N.Y. — When Clarkson was upset in the opening round of the ECAC Hockey playoffs, coach George Roll told his players to go home, rest and not think about hockey for a few days.

Yeah, like that was going to happen.

All-star goaltender David Leggio had an inkling his team would gain an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, but he allowed the doubts to torment him.

Did I play my last game for the Golden Knights? Is my hockey career over?

Leggio was relieved to hear the ECAC Hockey regular-season champs receive the tourney berth, and looked forward to extending his career by a few more games and pursue his dream of a national title.

“You don’t get these opportunities often in life,” Leggio said. “You have to do everything you can to seize your opportunities and have no regrets.”

David Leggio's teammates congratulate him after he made 24 saves in Clarkson's NCAA East Regional semifinal win against St. Cloud State

Leggio made the most of his second life, stopping 24 shots and coming up with huge saves in the closing minutes of a 2-1 victory over St. Cloud State in the NCAA East Regional semifinal at the Times Union Center on Friday.

“It was probably the biggest [win of my life],” said Leggio, who jumped in the air and pumped both of his hands when the final horn sounded. “I have a terrible vertical [leap] and that one was probably my best ever.”

Clarkson had two long weeks off following its ouster from the ECAC tourney, and Leggio still felt like he was on the hook for Colgate’s 4-3 and 3-2 (double overtime) victories in the final two games of that three-game set.

“I didn’t want to go out on that note, and I certainly didn’t want to go out losing three games in a row,” Leggio said.

Leggio’s Clarkson teammates made his job much easier, keeping St. Cloud’s dangerous forwards out of the slot area and allowing clear sight lines on most shots from the wings.

Things got a lot tougher in the final six minutes as St. Cloud State started gaining better position out front.

Leggio gloved a slapper from the left circle by Aaron Brocklehurst, who was trying to go far side with 5:53 left. Thirty seconds later, Andreas Nodl collected the puck to the left of Leggio, pulled it back and tried to flip a high shot on him but Leggio held his ground.

“That was probably the highlight of my game,” Leggio said. “If they score that goal, now it’s tied and they have the momentum.”

St. Cloud continued to push forward. With 4:12 to go, Brent Borgen got a stick on a flip shot by Aaron Marvin and Leggio made a kick stop. With Tyrell Mason sent off for interference, Garrett Roe ripped a point shot which hit Leggio in the shoulder. As the power play ended, Leggio made another kick stop on Marvin.
In the final minute, Leggio had a clear lane as he gloved Garrett Raboin’s shot from the slot and he thwarted a nice cross-ice passing play from Brocklehurst to Nodl, gloving a wrist shot fired from the right circle with 23 seconds left.

“I thought a little bit there at the end of the third [my team] started to come around and had some point-blank chances but their goalie stood tall for them,” said St. Cloud State coach Bob Motzko.

Leggio has five shutouts and five one-goal outings this season. He ranks 17th nationally with a 2.20 goals against average and 20th with a .919 save percentage. The win over St. Cloud was his 22nd of the season and the 59th of his career. The numbers are nice, Leggio says, but one more win means one more chance to prove himself.

“Winning a national championship has always been a dream of mine,” Leggio said. “To be able to still have a chance to compete for it is very special.”